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Friday mystery object #315

It’s been another week of working with the Dead Zoo insect collection for me, so I thought I’d give you one of them to have a go at identifying:

A big bug at around 135mm wingtip to wingtip

I don’t think it’ll be particularly difficult for some of you, so please try to offer cryptic suggestions if you know what is, to keep it challenging for others who aren’t as familiar with these impressive invertebrates.

10 thoughts on “Friday mystery object #315”

Wings – so an insect, not a spider in disguise.
Forewings not modified into casings/covers, so guessing this is not actually a bug. Or a beetle or a cockroach.
Wings not scaly but lacy.
Wings clearly differentiated in shape and size.

Having thus eliminated mantis (?was that it?) and a few other groups, there are now only 65,398 named species to choose from. You know my methods… apply them.

According to Plato, “[This species] used to be human beings who lived before the birth of the Muses. When the Muses were born and song was created for the first time, some of the people of that time were so overwhelmed with the pleasure of singing that they forgot to eat or drink; so they died without even realizing it. It is from them that the race of the [these insects] came into being; and, as a gift from the Muses, they have no need of nourishment once they are born. Instead, they immediately burst into song, without food or drink, until it is time for them to die. After they die, they go to the Muses and tell each one of them which mortals have honored her.”
– Phaedrus

I tried to give this one to Jones but he’s ‘busy’ this week. Whatever. I’ve waited for many years before. Perhaps when the time comes I will sing for love with a lusty tymbalic song. There are -tho- many to choose from….and for minute I was in-clin-ed to throw some -salt- over my shoulder and hope for the best but I see their wings aren’t large enough. Hmm back to Down Under…